Has anyone had any experience with the Yongnuo YN-565EX ETTL Speedlite Flash for Canon. I got an email from Cowboy studio with this listed as $160 and did a bit searching around and seems like a a good starter flash.

AdamJ

I have two 565EX flashes (and a YN-468 II). I'm very pleased with them - perfect implementation of Canon system functionality and surprisingly well built. Early reliability issues have apparently been expunged by Yongnuo's new chief engineer, who is also responsible for the excellent YN-622C triggers.

The 565EX doesn't support High Speed Sync, whereas the more expensive 568EX does, if it matters to you.

Check the warranty period when buying. Some resellers only offer two months, others twelve months, including when buying directly from Yongnuo.

« Last Edit: October 29, 2012, 10:05:50 PM by AdamJ »

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DB

Has anyone had any experience with the Yongnuo YN-565EX ETTL Speedlite Flash for Canon. I got an email from Cowboy studio with this listed as $160 and did a bit searching around and seems like a a good starter flash.

Cal

I've had 2 of these. One I bricked with an external battery pack (PiXeL TD-381) but Amazon gave me a full refund + postage. The other I'm still using for more than a year now and it is a great wireless ETTL-II flash that my 7D or my Meike MK-580 master flash can trigger. It is also very powerful GN=56 at least. The only drawback is that the flash head has loosened with use - it is not like the Canon 580EX-II in that it doesn't lock into position, which matters if you plan on putting any attachments or diffusers (like a softbox) on it - works fine with Stofen type diffusers.

The Yongnuo 565-EX is a great value flash (for its price) either in the hotshoe, on a cord, or wireless on its stand. It is not weather shielded, has the old screw type mount (but metal foot in the hotshoe) and it does not support HSS nor can it operate as a Master, but does fine as a Slave.

The new 568 does have Hi-Speed Sync, but does NOT have the ability to take an external battery pack socket - probably for the same reason that I bricked my 2nd sample - the battery pack sends power direct to the capacitor head in the flash, whilst the 4xAA internal flash batteries are used for flash functions etc.

btw re-cycling time on the Yongnuo's is very fast. I can get 1.2 secs in Manual 1/1 power, plus I've taken 40 to 50 flash shots in a 5 min period recently at an outside birthday (garden) party without any overheating.

edit: I've also used it successfully with 2nd curtain sync for 'painting with light' as well as the Multi-Stroboscopic functionality to make my nephews appear like they have multiple arms etc.

I have two 565EX flashes I use in my drop photography setup. I have had them for over a year now and for the last few months I have fired them about 400 times/week. They are both doing very well and I have yet to have an issue with them.

On the other hand I have had several problems with my Canon flashes.580EX - Started giving a delay between when the flash is triggered and when it is fired. This doesn't show up in "normal" shots but is very evident in high speed photography. I had to remove it from action.580EX II - miniport connection no longer works. I have to fire it through a hotshoe now.

I plan to purchase four 568EX units within the next week. They use a 2.5mm minijack socket instead of the PC miniport so I am making sure I can obtain the cables first.

I'm thinking one attractive value proposition for these guys is to use them remotely as slaves while keeping a genuine Speedlite as the master. Cost is attractive to buy two or three of the yongnuo's and you're still well below the cost of one speedlite. Use the Speedlite Master for fill (off camera using Syl's OCF ETTL cord), a pair of yonguos as the key, and a third Yonguo as a hair light. or if you are outdoors, use all four flashes together to fight the sun (key), a 5-in-one reflector for fill -- and you still have three light sources using the sun itself for the hairlight.